Controlling Access to Content

ABSTRACT

A computer implemented method of controlling access to content to be viewed on a viewing device, the method comprising: selecting desired content to be viewed on the viewing device; displaying auxiliary content which is required to be viewed while preventing display of the desired content on the viewing device; after displaying the auxiliary content, displaying at least one user engagement element defining an expected user activity; detecting if a user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with the expected user activity and if so, displaying the desired content on the viewing device.

FIELD

The present invention relates to controlling access to content to be viewed on a computer device.

BACKGROUND

Computer devices exist which are considered to display content to a user on demand. For example, subscription services allow a user to select particular television channels which are made available to a computer device on which a user can view the channels. Viewing of the channels can be subject to payment. When subject to payment, access to the content is controlled by determining whether or not the user has made a payment for the content and as such is permitted to view it. In a subscription service content can be live/linear. Other on-demand content is available, such as, On-Demand TV which allows individual programmes to be begun at the viewer's leisure.

Other types of content are also available on demand, for example, downloaded or streamed to a user following suitable payment, as with On Demand TV or pay per view (PPV).

SUMMARY

This disclosure covers access to content whether that content is linear/live, subscription, PPV or On-Demand.

Many viewers possess additional user devices which they can use as a companion to the viewing of a main, viewing device such as a television, set-top box or other computer device. In such a case, the companion device can be used to control what is viewed on the viewing device, either by transmitting signals directly to the viewing device or by transmitting signals via a network such as the internet to a source of the content to be transmitted to the viewing device. In either case, it would be desirable to control access to the content without requiring the additional complexity and technical components associated with a payment scheme and confirming payment each time a user requires to watch some content.

Playback need not be on the viewing device. For viewers who consume content directly on the companion device, this one device can serve both purposes.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer implemented method of controlling access to content to be viewed on a viewing device, the method comprising:

-   -   a) selecting desired content to be viewed on the viewing device;     -   b) displaying auxiliary content which is required to be viewed         while preventing display of the desired content on the viewing         device;     -   c) after displaying the auxiliary content, displaying at least         one user engagement element defining an expected user activity;     -   d) detecting if a user has engaged with the user engagement         element in accordance with the expected user activity and if so,         displaying the desired content on the viewing device.

One embodiment provides a method of controlling access to content to be viewed on a viewing device, the method comprising:

-   -   a) selecting at a companion device desired content to be viewed         on the viewing device;     -   b) displaying on the companion device auxiliary content which is         required to be viewed while preventing display of the desired         content on the viewing device;     -   c) after displaying the auxiliary content, displaying on the         companion device at least one user engagement element defining         an expected user activity; and     -   d) detecting if a user has engaged with the user engagement         element in accordance with the expected user activity and if so,         displaying the desired content on the viewing device.

The user engagement element can take a number of different forms. The user engagement element offers a user a user interface which captures a user response, whether by text, voice, keyboard, touchscreen or mouse click input, or in any other way. In some embodiments a user can select whether to engage with the user engagement element to access the content or to bypass it by payment for example. Some services offer “free” content but require a user to watch several advertisements. A user could select to engage with a user engagement element in exchange for watching fewer advertisements. In one embodiment, described herein as “pay by survey”, the user engagement element comprises a displayed question and a field for a user to enter a response. The user engagement element can comprise a survey which includes multiple questions with associated fields for responses, wherein the questions and responses concern the auxiliary content. The auxiliary content can be an advertisement, but the disclosure is not limited in this respect. A user can in one example respond using voice recognition. In other examples, a user can select an answer from a dropdown list or set of check boxes displayed on the viewing or companion device. Alternatively, the response could be requested as a game element, for example by clicking an image the user saw in the auxiliary content from a small (e.g. 4-6) set of images.

Embodiments of the invention are useful in the context where the desired content is an asset with an associated value, selectable by a user without transmitting payment for the asset provided that the user properly engages with the user engagement element.

The step of detecting can include detecting if the user is engaged within a specified period.

Embodiments of the invention allow for the user engagement element to be displayed after a viewer has begun to watch content, but before he is permitted to watch the entire content. To this end, embodiments include the step of detecting an instant the content stream being displayed with the viewing device; preventing display of a further portion of the content stream while displaying the user engagement element at the companion device; and only permitting display of the further content if it is detected that the user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with the expected user activity.

Detecting the instant can be carried out by audio content recognition, or by direct communication between the viewing device and the companion device.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer program product for controlling access to content, the computer program product comprising computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer carry out the steps of: detecting that a user has selected desired content to be viewed; controlling a display to present auxiliary content which is required to be viewed while preventing display of the desired content; after displaying the auxiliary content, controlling the display to display at least one user display engagement defining an expected user activity; and detecting if the user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with the expected user activity, and if so, generating a signal to cause the desired content to be displayed.

One embodiment provides a program for controlling access to content, the computer program product comprising computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer carry out the steps of:

-   -   a) detecting that a user has selected desired content to be         viewed;     -   b) controlling a first display to present auxiliary content         which is required to be viewed while preventing display of the         desired content in a second display;     -   c) after displaying the auxiliary content, controlling the         display to display at least one user display engagement defining         an expected user activity; and     -   d) detecting if the user has engaged with the user engagement         element in accordance with the expected user activity, and if         so, generating a signal to cause the desired content to be         displayed on the second display.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer device configured to control access to content to be viewed on a separate, viewing device, the computer device comprising: a user input component configured to receive selection by a user of desired content to be viewed; a display; a processor executing an access control program which is configured to cause auxiliary content to be displayed on the display, the auxiliary content being required to be viewed, wherein the access control program is configured to: prevent display of the desired content while the auxiliary content is displayed; after displaying the auxiliary content, to display at least one user engagement element defining an expected user activity; and to detect if a user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with the expected activity and if so, cause the desired content to be displayed.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer device for controlling access to content, the device comprising a network interface configured to exchange messages and content between a remote user device and a computer device; and a processor configured to execute a content control program which when executed performs the steps of: receiving a message selecting content to be viewed on a display device; responsive to the message transmitting auxiliary content to the remote user device; transmitting at least one user engagement element to the user device; monitoring responses entered by a user responsive to the user engagement element; and if the responses indicate that a user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with an expected user activity, causing the desired content to be displayed on the display device.

Another aspect of the invention provides a computer implemented method of controlling access to content to be viewed on a viewing device, wherein a user selects desired content to be viewed on the viewing device, the method comprising, prior to displaying the desired content, displaying at least one user engagement element defining an expected user activity, the user engagement element including at least one question and a response entry component for receiving a response from the user concerning user profile information detecting if a user has engaged with the user engagement element to supply user profile information, and releasing the desired content for viewing in that case, and causing the user profile information to be utilised in the selection of auxiliary content to be displayed at the viewing device.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect reference may be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of devices for controlling access to content;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a computer device for displaying a user engagement element;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for controlling access to content; and

FIG. 4 is a sequence of displays presented during the method.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows two devices which can be provided for a user in a particular location. FIG. 1 illustrates a viewing device such as a television 2 with a screen 4. A user also has a companion user device 10. This user device can take the form of any kind of computer device including but not limited to tablets, mobile phones, smartphones, laptops, etc. In particular, the user device 10 has a screen 12 for displaying elements to a user. In accordance with this disclosure, these elements include user engagement elements to be further discussed herein. The user device 10 also has a network connection 14 to allow it to communicate with a control server 16 via a network 18 such as the internet. The network connection can be wired such as Ethernet or wireless (either WiFi or GSM), or any suitable interface which allows the user device 10 to communicate with the control server 16. A content source 17 is also provided which is connected to the network 18 and can deliver content to the viewing device. This can be achieved via an internet channel over the network 18 or a broadcast channel, denoted 19 in FIG. 1. The content source can be part of the network and accessible accordingly (see line 13). In the embodiment discussed below, access to the content is controlled by the user viewing auxiliary content in the form of advertisements which are displayed before the desired content, and which may be delivered to the viewing device or user device from an ad server 21. A user must provide feedback through the user engagement element before content is released, as described in more detail herein. The dotted line in FIG. 1 denotes the fact that the user device 10 and television 2 are likely to be in the same physical location, such as a room, while the servers 16, 17 and 21 are likely to be in a remote location. The server 16 and 17 are shown as separate computer devices, but their functions could be carried out in a single server.

The user device 10 includes a processor which executes a content access control application when a viewer uses the user device to select content to be viewed on the viewing device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a user device 10. The user device comprises a processor 100 which is connected to a memory 102. The memory holds code for execution by the processor and includes applications which can be executed by the processor 100. In this case, the applications, (apps) include a content access control application 104.

On executing the content access control application 104 the processor receives user engagement elements from the control server 16 and provides them to the display 12 to be displayed to a user. The processor 100 receives information depending on user actions at the display. A user can select content to be viewed at the display 12, instruct that content to be played using a displayed play button 105 and engage with the user engagement elements when they are displayed to him/her.

A method of controlling access to content will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The process starts at step S30. A user selects content at step S32. This can be done by any user input mechanism e.g. tapping on a displayed viewing content option on the screen 12, by mouse click, voice, keyboard or any other way. The user device sends a message to the control server 16 indicating content has been selected (S34). The user device then receives, before the content, first lock control content. In the following embodiment lock control content comprises one or more advertisements and a survey comprising one or more questions to be completed by a user. This is discussed in more detail with reference to FIG. 4. The advertisements can be supplied from the ad server 21 to the user device 10. A user can be uniquely identified by his log-in where multiple users use the same device. The ad(s) can be targeted to a particular user who has logged into that user device. This is achieved by building up over time information about the kind of content watched on the user device 10 which is monitored by the ad server 21 so that it can supply appropriate advertisements. This is known and is not discussed further herein. It nevertheless is an advantage in the present context that the advertisements are displayed on the user device 10 rather than on the viewing device 2 where the desired content will be displayed. At step S38 the application determines whether the user has engaged with the lock control content, in a manner to be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4. His responses are monitored (S42) and sent to the control server (S44). The server determines (S46) if the response was adequate—perhaps the user failed to respond effectively by inputting nonsense or misleading data. If the response was adequate (YES), the server determines if there is further lock control content. If so, this is sent to the user. If not (NO), the content is played (S39). If the response was deemed not adequate, or if the user does not engage at all, the content does not play. The user is presented (S52) with the option to cancel/abandon the request to view the content. Alternatively, he could be presented with a bypass option of paying to view the content.

FIG. 4 shows a sequence of items to be displayed to a user on screen 12 of the user device 10. After a user has selected content (S32), they can chose to play the content by actuating a play button 105 shown on the screen 12. Actuation can be by clicking a mouse, tapping a screen, voice or in any suitable way.

As shown in item 40, instead of playing the desired content on the viewing device 2 an advertisement is played on the user device 10. The advertisement is streamed from the ad server 21 as a short video extract. For example, the advertisement may be for a particular brand of car. After this short video extract, a user engagement element 42 is shown on the screen 12 in the form of a question displayed to the user. A user can engage with the user engagement element 42 by responding to the question either by entering data into a field displayed to the user (not shown in FIG. 4) or responding using voice. When a user responses using voice, a voice recognition app executed by the processor 100 detects the voice and recognises the user response and supplies it to the access control app 104.

After this user engagement, further lock control content in the form of further adverts can be shown in the form of short video clips. Once the user has responded properly to the user engagement elements which follow these advertisements (as in the first advertisement just described), a message 44 is shown on the screen indicating that the selected content (in this case a movie) will now be shown.

Whether or not the user has responded properly is determined by assessing whether an expected user actuation has been executed. For example, where a response is to be entered in text, the quality of the text is assessed to ensure it is meaningful. Where a user selection is made (multiple choice), only the set number of selections should be made.

In one embodiment, where the content has a value, a user can choose to bypass the user engagement elements and purchase the content by exchanging payment. If he engages with the user engagement elements, he will receive the content without exchanging payment. In an alternative option, he could receive the content at a discounted price.

In addition to controlling access to content, the embodiments of the invention have a number of advantages.

For most TV viewers a prime complaint about watching television is “too many ads”. Also, mobile apps that offer ad-funded content that is otherwise free generate dissatisfaction about the quantity (and quality) of the ads themselves. As a result, content is in danger of being drowned by the advertising that helps pay for its distribution and, as a result, viewers are tuning it out by letting the ads run while they do something else. This necessarily increases the amount of ad wastage and reduces their effectiveness.

The embodiments described herein enable a device to enhance the advertising experience for end-users, yet make the ads more effective and allowing for fewer of them to be shown giving the increased value of engagement over a pure impression count. This also reduces traffic density over a network where ads are transmitted.

Much of the irritation at adverts is caused by the perceived lack of relevance to the viewer of many of the products, services and brands being presented. This has arisen because of the way in which ads are targeted has not kept pace with viewers' needs. Ads are still largely selected based on the demographic of the audience for a show as a whole.

Rather than targeting ads crudely to an entire audience, they are pushed to a viewer's second screen (user device 10) and, because such a device is a personal one for which an increasingly more detailed picture of the individual user has been built up, those ads can be made ever more relevant.

Such fine grained targeting is only one element of the solution. This improves the relevance but doesn't in itself guarantee that the ads are being watched.

As described above, the viewer uses their mobile device 10 as the discovery tool to find something to watch on their first screen 14. Having chosen the content they press play 105 but before they can watch the material they are presented with personalised video ads 40 on the second screen 12.

After each of this small set of ads the app asks the viewer how interesting they found it, element 42. To make this easy to use, they answer by voice (but on-screen buttons can also be provided).

In the event that an ad wasn't interesting, further user engagement elements can be generated to ask the viewer further questions (e.g. what brand do you prefer?). When complete, the app shows the next ad in the set. When the viewer has watched (and responded to) the small set of ads, the content begins playing on the first screen.

In this way the method:

-   -   a) ensures the viewer has watched the ads and     -   b) gains positive and negative feedback to make future ad         targeting more accurate     -   c) requires similar effort for positive and negative feedback so         responses are more likely to be genuine     -   d) reduces ad impression wastage     -   e) can reduce the number of ads shown in an ad supported content         stream.

In the last case, a content stream normally provided free in exchange for viewing multiple advertisements could offer one or more user engagement elements in place of some of the advertisements, thereby improving user experience and providing more useful data to the advertiser(s).

As described more fully in the above embodiments, in order to unlock content on one screen, a user needs to complete an activity on another screen. In the “pay-by-survey”, the activity in which the user needs to complete is a question and answer session in response to some adverts, and the unlocked content can be a TV show, movie or something similar. This activity can replace a payment mechanism. That is, formerly an end user might pay by card, paypal etc for a show; they might purchase a subscription to a channel or a set of channels; they might subscribe to a particular standard of programming. By using the “pay-by-survey” mechanism above driven by voice responses, users of the method put no money down but in return can gain access to the content while content providers gain insights into their audience from the data collected about what brands and products they like.

The user engagement element can take alternative forms to a survey requiring text responses. It would be a kind of game, or multiple choice. Any kind of user engagement element permitting a monitorable user response is envisaged.

Being able to determine that the auxiliary content (for example adverts) has been watched by soliciting responses from viewers to questions about it, relies on a careful crafting of the questions as well as keeping the auxiliary content short so that a response after the end of the content is likely. A lack of a timely response could be considered evidence that a user has not watched the content.

It is furthermore useful to have confidence that the responses given by users are genuine and as such meaningful. This can achieved by a degree of statistical analysis and picking out of trends within demographic groups when the responses are monitored at the control server (step S42).

As a further enhancement, embodiments can permit a mechanism (step S54 in FIG. 3) for detecting specific instants of time within a video to present a user engagement element, which gives access to the further video content. The instants of time can be detected for example by audio content recognition. The surveys are presented on the second device 10 and may be linked to a personal profile associated with that device of the control server 16 or ad server 21. Audio content recognition technology could be utilised to detect specified instants of time, such as considerable cuts during the movie, or before or after the front credits of a video as the trigger event for the surveys.

In the above embodiment, the user device 10 operates as a companion device to select the desired content and operates to display the auxiliary content (for example, the advertisement) and the user engagement elements (such as the survey). However, the principles described herein can also be applied to a scenario where there is a single device which both plays the desired content, the auxiliary content and the user engagement element. That same device can be used to select the content. A further alternative is to have a companion device used to select the content, where the desired content, auxiliary content and user engagement elements are displayed on a separate device.

Where one device is used to display the desired content, the auxiliary content and the user engagement elements, two separate display portions or a picture in picture technology can be utilised. Alternatively, the auxiliary content can be displayed first, followed by the user engagement element and then followed by the desired content on the same screen.

As already described, the ad server 21 supplies appropriate advertisements as the auxiliary content. It is possible to utilise the responses received from users to modify or specify advertisements provided by the ad server. This could be carried out at the control server or by the control server supplying user responses to the ad server. This allows more appropriate auxiliary content (e.g. more appropriate advertisements) to be shown to a user, with the hope of minimising user interruption and furthermore, enticing the user to purchase any advertised items. 

1. A computer implemented method of controlling access to content to be viewed on a viewing device, the method comprising: a) selecting desired content to be viewed on the viewing device; b) displaying auxiliary content which is required to be viewed while preventing display of the desired content on the viewing device; c) after displaying the auxiliary content, displaying at least one user engagement element defining an expected user activity; d) detecting if a user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with the expected user activity and if so, displaying the desired content on the viewing device.
 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of selecting the desired content and displaying the auxiliary content and user engagement element are carried out on a companion device.
 3. A method according to claim 1 wherein, the user engagement element comprises a displayed question to which a user may respond.
 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user engagement element comprises a survey which includes at least one question with associated expected responses, wherein the questions and responses concern the auxiliary content.
 5. A method according to claim 1, wherein a user response by voice is detected by a voice recognition application and compared with an expected response.
 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user engagement element comprises a user interface component selectable by a user.
 7. A method according to claim 1, where the desired content is an asset with an associated value, selectable by a user without transmitting payment for the asset provided that the user properly engages with the user engagement element.
 8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the desired content is an asset with an associated value exchangeable for payment of that value, the method comprising permitting a user to select the content for viewing at a discounted value provided that the user properly engages with the user engagement element.
 9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting can include detecting if the user is engaged within a specified period.
 10. A method according claim 1, wherein the user engagement element is displayed after a viewer has begun to watch content, but before he is permitted to watch the entire content, the method comprising detecting an instant the content stream being displayed with the viewing device; preventing display of a further portion of the content stream while displaying the user engagement element and only permitting display of the further content if it is detected that the user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with the expected user activity.
 11. A method according to claim 10, wherein detecting the instant can be carried out by audio content recognition.
 12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary content is a video.
 13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the desired content is exchangeable for user viewing of multiple advertisements, and wherein the method comprises reducing the number of advertisements to be viewed provided that the user properly engages with the user engagement element.
 14. A computer program product for controlling access to content, the computer program product comprising computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer carry out the steps of: a) detecting that a user has selected desired content to be viewed; b) controlling a display to present auxiliary content which is required to be viewed while preventing display of the desired content; c) after displaying the auxiliary content, controlling the display to display at least one user display engagement defining an expected user activity; and d) detecting if the user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with the expected user activity, and if so, generating a signal to cause the desired content to be displayed.
 15. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the step of controlling the display to present auxiliary content controls a first display and the desired content is caused to be displayed on a second display.
 16. A computer program product according to claim 14, which causes the computer at a companion device to transmit the generated signal to a viewing device.
 17. A computer device configured to control access to content to be viewed by a user, the computer device comprising: a) a user input component configured to receive selection by a user of desired content to be viewed; b) a display; c) a processor executing an access control program which is configured to cause auxiliary content to be displayed on the display, the auxiliary content being required to be viewed, wherein the access control program is configured to: prevent display of the desired content while the auxiliary content is displayed; after displaying the auxiliary content, to display at least one user engagement element defining an expected user activity to be displayed and to detect if a user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with the expected activity and if so, cause the desired content to be displayed.
 18. A computer device according to claim 17, which is configured to cause the desired content to be displayed by transmitting a signal to a separate viewing device.
 19. A computer device for controlling access to content, the device comprising: a) a network interface configured to exchange messages and content between a remote user device and the computer device; and b) a processor configured to execute a content control program which when executed performs the steps of: c) receiving a message selecting content to be viewed on a display device; d) responsive to the message transmitting auxiliary content to the remote user device; e) transmitting at least one user engagement element to the user device; f) monitoring responses entered by a user responsive to the user engagement element; and g) if the responses indicate that a user has engaged with the user engagement element in accordance with an expected user activity, causing the desired content to be displayed on the display device.
 20. A computer device according to claim 19, comprising an auxiliary content generation component which is responsive to user responses to generate the auxiliary content.
 21. computer device according to claim 19, wherein the network interface is configured to transmit user responses to an ad server for selecting further auxiliary content.
 22. A computer implemented method of controlling access to content to be viewed on a viewing device: a) wherein a user selects desired content to be viewed on the viewing device, the method comprising, prior to displaying the desired content, b) displaying at least one user engagement element defining an expected user activity, the user engagement element including at least one question and a response entry component for receiving a response from the user concerning user profile information, c) detecting if a user has engaged with the user engagement element to supply user profile information, and releasing the desired content for viewing in that case, and d) causing the user profile information to be utilised in the selection of auxiliary content to be displayed at the viewing device. 